Optical Switch

Abstract

An optical switch with a flat transmission property is provided. The optical switch includes an input port, an output port, a diffractive grating configured to perform wavelength demultiplexing on an optical signal from the input port, and LCOS configured to deflect the wavelength-demultiplexed optical signal to the output port. The diffractive grating is pre-arranged such that a shape of the optical signal as entering the LCOS is asymmetric with respect to an axis in the LCOS surface that is orthogonal to a wavelength axis of the diffractive grating.

1 . An optical switch comprising:
 at least one input port;   at least one output port;   a wavelength demultiplexing section configured to perform wavelength demultiplexing on an optical signal from the input port; and   a spatial light modulating section configured to deflect the wavelength-demultiplexed optical signal to the output port, and   wherein the wavelength demultiplexing section is pre-arranged such that a shape of the optical signal of entering the spatial light modulating section is asymmetric with respect to an axis in the surface of the spatial light modulating section, the axis being orthogonal to a wavelength axis of the wavelength demultiplexing section.   
     
     
         2 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulating section is a spatial phase modulating element with a plurality of pixels. 
     
     
         3 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein an intensity distribution corresponding to a monochromatic component forming the optical signal entering the spatial light modulating section is set such that a ridge line resulting from joining of maximum points of the intensity distribution is distributed with respect to the wavelength axis. 
     
     
         4 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical signal includes a principal ray and a marginal ray, and the wavelength demultiplexing section is arranged such that the principal ray and the marginal ray are incident at different angles. 
     
     
         5 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical switch comprises a lens having optical power only in a direction of a switch axis, the switch axis being an axis in the surface of the spatial light modulating section, and the lens is provided between the wavelength demultiplexing section and the spatial light modulator. 
     
     
         6 . The optical switch according to  claim 1 , wherein a control pattern for the spatial light modulating section is set according to channel boundaries for a wavelength division multiplexing signal.